Ezekiel 11:16 kjv
Therefore say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Although I have cast them far off among the heathen, and although I have scattered them among the countries, yet will I be to them as a little sanctuary in the countries where they shall come.
Ezekiel 11:16 nkjv
Therefore say, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Although I have cast them far off among the Gentiles, and although I have scattered them among the countries, yet I shall be a little sanctuary for them in the countries where they have gone." '
Ezekiel 11:16 niv
"Therefore say: 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Although I sent them far away among the nations and scattered them among the countries, yet for a little while I have been a sanctuary for them in the countries where they have gone.'
Ezekiel 11:16 esv
Therefore say, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: Though I removed them far off among the nations, and though I scattered them among the countries, yet I have been a sanctuary to them for a while in the countries where they have gone.'
Ezekiel 11:16 nlt
"Therefore, tell the exiles, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Although I have scattered you in the countries of the world, I will be a sanctuary to you during your time in exile.
Ezekiel 11 16 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ezekiel 11:16 | "Therefore say, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: Although I have cast them far off among the nations, and although I have scattered them among the countries, yet I will be a little sanctuary for them in the lands where they have gone." | God's presence as refuge, assurance of protection. |
| Isaiah 8:14 | "He will be as a sanctuary, But a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense to both the houses of Israel, A trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem." | Jesus as both a sanctuary and a stumbling block. |
| Psalm 46:1 | "God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble." | Affirming God's role as a protector. |
| Psalm 91:1-2 | "He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.’" | Personal reliance on God for safety. |
| Jeremiah 29:4, 7 | "Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all who were carried away captive, whom I caused to be carried away from Jerusalem to Babylon: … seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to it for it; for in its peace you will have peace." | God's concern for exiles in foreign lands. |
| Leviticus 26:11-12 | "I will set My tabernacle among you, and My soul shall not abhor you. I will walk among you and be your God, and you shall be My people." | God's presence with His people in the land. |
| Deuteronomy 12:11 | "Then there shall be the place where the Lord your God chooses to make His name abide, there you shall bring all that I command you..." | Focus on God's chosen place of worship. |
| John 1:14 | "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth." | The Incarnation, God dwelling with humanity. |
| John 4:21-24 | "Jesus said to her, 'Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem worship the Father... But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth.'" | True worship is in spirit, not a physical place. |
| Hebrews 12:22-24 | "But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all to the spirits of the just made perfect, to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel." | Believers are connected to a spiritual Jerusalem. |
| Revelation 21:3-7 | "And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, ‘Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.’" | God's ultimate dwelling with His people in eternity. |
| 2 Corinthians 6:16 | "And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: 'I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be My people.'" | Believers are now the temple of God. |
| Jeremiah 31:33 | "But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My law in their inward parts, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people." | The New Covenant internalizing God's law. |
| Romans 8:9-11 | "But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. And if Christ is in you, the Body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you." | The indwelling Holy Spirit bringing life. |
Ezekiel 11 verses
Ezekiel 11 16 Meaning
This verse signifies a gracious provision for the remnant of Israel exiled to Babylon. Despite their past unfaithfulness and present suffering, God promises to act as a sanctuary for them in the foreign land. This divine protection would be internal and spiritual, unlike a physical temple. It means God Himself would be their safe haven and place of refuge, guarding them from further harm and offering them His presence.
Ezekiel 11 16 Context
Ezekiel 11 takes place as Ezekiel prophesies in Jerusalem, amidst the ongoing Babylonian siege. The prophet witnesses a vision where the city's leaders are consumed by divine judgment for their wickedness and corruption. God declares His intention to scatter the people among the nations and destroy their fortified city, a direct contrast to their misplaced faith in the Temple as an unassailable sanctuary. Verse 16 stands as a promise of hope and preservation for the faithful remnant, assuring them that God’s protection would not be confined to a physical location but would be a spiritual reality for those He scattered. This shifts the concept of sanctuary from the external Temple to God Himself as the intimate and personal refuge.
Ezekiel 11 16 Word Analysis
וַאֲנִי (va'ani): "And I". A simple conjunction followed by the first-person singular pronoun, emphasizing God's personal intervention and statement.
מִקְדָּשׁ (mikdash): "sanctuary", "holy place". The word implies a consecrated space, set apart for God. Here, it’s used in a figurative sense, representing God's presence as the ultimate refuge. This is a crucial shift from the physical Temple, which had proven inadequate.
מְעַט (me'at): "little", "small amount". This qualifier highlights that God’s sanctuary would be experienced intimately and personally, not as a vast, outward structure, but as His presence within them. It points to the internalization of God's presence and protection.
לָהֶם (lahem): "for them". A prepositional pronoun indicating the recipients of this "little sanctuary."
לְמִקְדָּשׁ (lemikdash): "for a sanctuary". This phrase combines the preposition 'le' (for) with 'mikdash' (sanctuary), further reinforcing the idea of God being for them as their sanctuary.
אֲשֶׁר־בָּאוּ־שָׁם (asher-bavu-sham): "where they have gone" or "into those lands". It specifies the context – the place of exile and dispersion among the nations. God's sanctuary would accompany them even in foreign, often hostile, territories.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "וַאֲנִי מִקְדָּשׁ מְעַט לָהֶם" (va'ani mikdash me'at lahem): This entire phrase articulates the core promise: "And I will be a little sanctuary for them." The juxtaposition of "I" (God) with "little sanctuary" is potent, revealing God's intimate presence as the true security, distinct from the failing physical sanctuary in Jerusalem.
Ezekiel 11 16 Bonus Section
This concept of God as an "intimate sanctuary" in exile contrasts sharply with the belief that physical proximity to the Jerusalem Temple guaranteed divine favor. It reorients Israel's understanding of God’s faithfulness from geography-bound structures to His abiding presence. This theological shift prepares the way for understanding the presence of God within believers through the Holy Spirit, a theme fully realized in the New Testament. The term "little sanctuary" (mikdash me'at) emphasizes intimacy and personal possession of God's protection, not a diminishment of God's power.
Ezekiel 11 16 Commentary
In the face of judgment and exile, God offers a profound promise of personal protection. While the Temple in Jerusalem would be destroyed and His people scattered, God Himself would become their sanctuary. This isn't about a physical building but about His intimate presence, which would be their refuge wherever they went. This foreshadows the New Covenant, where God's Spirit indwells believers, making them the temple of God (1 Corinthians 6:19). The "little sanctuary" signifies an internal, spiritual refuge – a place of peace and safety found in God’s constant presence, even in the most alienating circumstances.